Hundreds of Brentwood Borough students celebrate 2nd annual Day of Giving

All over Brentwood on Friday, different organizations, places, and people were benefiting from the help of hundreds of students as part of the yearly day of giving. 

One of the places where students were giving back was the Stewart Avenue Food Pantry. In total, 250 students participated in the labor of love. 

"I want to help the community and help people in need," said Crixus Trout, a sixth-grade student. 

This is the second year for the annual day of giving, but it's a project that has been years in the making. Today, for the second year, it's finally come to life, and it is growing.

"We want our kids to be appreciative and to give back," said eighth-grade math teacher and organizer Lynne Golvash. "We also want the community to see how great our kids are. They have a lot of gifts, talent, and energy they can provide." 

The day's activities included helping to stock food at the pantry, cleaning up litter, doing yardwork, planting trees, and so much more. 

"I think it's important because we're already so young, and when we're learning it so early, it's easy to be like this when we're adults," said sixth-grade student Gabriella Keid. 

That work is not going unnoticed, either. The food pantry has been a resource for decades for those in need, and they're grateful for the contributions. 

"They learn a lot, and see a lot, and the ones that do come back will actually come on a distribution day, and see who they're helping, and not just what they're doing," said Vicki Murrio, the director of the pantry. "I think that's very important." 

For the kids, sure, it gets them a day out of the classroom, but they also recognize how helpful they can be.

"They just need help, and I would just like to help the best I can, and I'm sure they would like to help the best they can, too," Trout said. 

"I like it a lot because I like helping people, and it's nice to see people with less fortunate things get all this food," added Keid.